April 16, 2026
The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered airlines to cut roughly 12% of all scheduled takeoffs and landings at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) for the summer season to reduce expected delays and operational strain.
The schedule reductions apply to flights between May 17 and Oct. 24. The FAA said the move responds to rapid schedule growth by major carriers at the airport and ongoing runway construction that together could produce widespread disruptions.
O’Hare was slated to have about 19% more departures between May and October than a year earlier, according to Cirium data. The FAA noted that last summer only a little more than half of flights at ORD during the peak season experienced no delay, underscoring concerns for the coming months.
“We prioritize the safety of the flying public, and that means ensuring airline schedules reflect what the system can safely handle,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement.
Airlines must remove hundreds of daily flights already on the schedule. The FAA said it will allocate reduction requirements based on last summer’s schedules at O’Hare.
United Airlines said it supports the FAA’s effort “to find a solution that makes sense for everyone who cares about O’Hare’s success” and will provide details after reviewing the order. American Airlines said the action will reduce delays and that it expects to have sufficient flights to operate a successful hub this summer, with more information on schedule changes to follow.
International carriers are not subject to the cancellation requirement.
Under U.S. Department of Transportation policy, passengers whose flights are canceled, significantly delayed or otherwise changed are entitled to a full refund if they decline rebooking or the revised schedule. That refund policy applies to cancellations and schedule changes resulting from this FAA order.